GUYTON — The Buford boys soccer team huffed and puffed and finally blew the doors off South Effingham in overtime to notch a 3-1 second round playoff victory on Wednesday in Guyton.
Despite dominating possession, 85 percent, and out-shooting South Effingham 12-3 in regulation the Wolves found the net just once before the game drifted into the extra frame.
Neither soaring temperatures that required mid-game water breaks nor a resolute Mustangs defense could sap Buford forever, however, and Fredy Benitez and Mario Ventura each scored in overtime to clinch a state quarterfinal berth.
Buford's reward is a trip to fourth-ranked Carrollton on Saturday, kickoff time to be announced -- a win there would seal a second straight state semifinal berth.
The Wolves (11-6-2) actually fell behind after 12 minutes, conceding a penalty kick on a handball in the box. Yet Cesar Benitez struck off an Erik Ortiz cross just three minutes later to level the score at 1-1 -- and there it remained for the rest of regulation despite Buford setting up camp in the South Effingham half of the field.
Benitez finally erased any concerns of the penalty kick lottery three minutes into overtime with a sweetly-struck shot. Ventura capped the scoring off a Miguel Burgos cross with two minutes remaining.
